Hello. Thank you very much for the opportunity to be here with you today.
The region we serve includes both rural and urban areas. It includes many very isolated villages where there are few home services to help clients age in their homes. Our recommendations are designed to provide long-term funding for our mission, for organizations such as ours, and for other organizations that offer services to seniors to allow them to age in their own homes. I think all Canadian seniors want to stay in their own home for as long as possible. By offering transportation assistance, we help seniors get to the hospital and medical clinics at a low cost. These individuals also have trouble getting transportation to go shopping or for social outings.
Funding is needed for services that are effective, rather than constantly trying to innovate. Innovation is needed for seniors, but priority should be given to services that have been demonstrated to be effective in allowing seniors to age in their homes.
We recommend that funding applications for grant programs be simplified. Calls for proposals are often issued in the summer, with three or four weeks' notice. For community organizations such as ours, it is not easy to submit proposals. This also makes it difficult for other organizations to submit proposals.
Furthermore, our organization has to draft about eight major reports on results each year. It goes without saying that if we spend our time filling out forms, seniors do not receive as many services. We suggest therefore that the reporting requirements be reduced.
Additional support for family caregivers is also needed. Many seniors are able to live at home thanks to their family's support, and this must be recognized, financially, in particular.
We recommend adding social housing in urban and rural areas, and improving the effectiveness of public networks that provide services for seniors, specifically by tailoring them to their reality. For example, ATMs and bank counters have been closed in many small municipalities, so seniors do not have access to an ATM. That leaves them at a loss and they often find it a very impersonal process.
We recommend that seniors should have access to local health services in all municipalities to enable them to age in their homes. There are many villages where, unfortunately, there are no more family doctors, nurses or services offered by the health network. As a result, people have to go elsewhere to get those services, which means they cannot remain in their homes.
Grants should be offered to make seniors' housing universally accessible. Their living environment should be adapted as they age, for example through home visits.
We therefore recommend financial support to businesses that want to install lighting for seniors and improve accessibility for persons using a walker.
Financial support could also be make available to recreational organizations. Seniors do need to get out of the house and enjoy recreational activities.
We also recommend financial support for affordable transportation initiatives, as well as support programs to help seniors who have been subject to intimidation and ageism.
Thank you very much.